Insomnia Treatment: Sleep Aids and Stimulants

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

Insomnia can also be caused by poor
sleeping habits such as excessive daytime naps or
caffeine
consumption and poor sleep hygiene.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates 30% of adults have some symptoms of insomnia, 10% have insomnia symptoms so severe they cause consequences such as daytime sleepiness, and less than 10% have chronic insomnia.

Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are
present.

Transient insomnia usually is due to situational
changes such as travel, extreme climate changes, and stressful events. It lasts for
less than a week or until the stressful event is resolved.

Short-term insomnia usually is due to ongoing stressful lifestyle
or events,
medication side effects or medical conditions and lasts for one to three weeks.

Chronic insomnia (long-term insomnia) often results from
depression, digestive problems, sleep disorders, or substance abuse and continues for more than three weeks.

Transient insomnia may progress to short-term insomnia and without adequate treatment short-term
insomnia may become chronic insomnia.

Some of the medications and substances that can contribute
to insomnia are: